Climate calling

Australia is no stranger to catastrophic bushfires. The disastrous summer fires of 2019-2020 - now known as the Black Summer - made headlines around the world, with nearly a quarter of a million square kilometres burned. This year's northern summer has seen major fires across North America, Europe and China. Now a new assessment by climate scientists says human-induced climate change has played an 'absolutely overwhelming' role in the extreme heatwaves.

A multi-billion-dollar plan announced in 2012 to save the Murray Darling Basin won't be completed on time according to new advice. Failing to meet the legislated deadlines has triggered concerns from environmental experts about the future of the river's ecosystem.

In the midst of historic heatwaves in the northern hemisphere, Europe now faces the peril of unrelenting high temperatures and forest wildfires adding to the global climate crisis. The United Nations has issued a warning on the severe impacts on human health, including increased cases of heart attacks and deaths.